New Delhi: Taking a serious note of the protests launched by rebel party workers, who were denied tickets in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi election, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress have geared up for the damage control mode. The major stake hold parties are making all efforts to force rebels to withdraw their nominations against official party candidates.

The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president JP Agarwal accepted that the senior party leaders, MPs and MLAs are trying hard to appease the rebel party workers to withdraw their candidatures to ensure the victory of official party workers.

He, however, denied that the rebels are in large number. The DPCC president said only few candidates have filed their nominations against official party candidates. Agarwal hoped that the rebels would ultimately withdraw their nominations by Wednesday, the last day of withdrawing nominations.

Moreover, the senior BJP leaders also accepted that the rebel candidates are likely to dent the poll prospect of the official party candidates in the MCD polls.

At least eight BJP candidates have filed their nominations against the official party candidates over ticket denial. Both the national parties are facing tough challenges from rebels in the MCD polls.

Some rebels are contesting the MCD polls either on the Bahujan Samaj Party or the Janata Dal (United) tickets. Certainly, they will mar the poll prospect of the Congress and the BJP candidates.

Rohtash Bidhuri alias Titu, general secretary Tughlakabad Block Congress filed his nomination on the BSP ticket as the grand old party denied him ticket. Bidhuri enjoys huge support in the area and may harm the Congress candidate in the MCD polls.

As far as the BJP is concerned, rebel Narendra filed nomination against Mayor Rajani Abbi from Mukherjee Nagar ward.